Induction heating extension cables including control conductors

Abstract

Induction heating extension cables including control conductors are disclosed. An example cable assembly includes: a first plurality of conductors in a Litz cable arrangement; an outer protective layer configured to protect the plurality of conductors from physical damage; and a second plurality of conductors that are electrically isolated from the first plurality of conductors and are protected by the outer protective layer from physical damage.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cable assembly, comprising:
 a first plurality of conductor bundles configured to conduct induction heating current, each of the conductor bundles comprising a Litz cable arrangement; 
 an inner protective layer, comprising a wrap, around the first plurality of conductor bundles; 
 an outer protective layer configured to protect the first plurality of conductor bundles from physical damage; and 
 a second plurality of conductors that are electrically isolated from the first plurality of conductor bundles and are protected by the outer protective layer and the inner protective layer from physical damage, wherein the second plurality of conductors are configured to conduct data. 
 
     
     
       2. The cable assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of conductors comprise a twisted pair of wires. 
     
     
       3. The cable assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of conductors comprise coaxial conductors. 
     
     
       4. The cable assembly as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a coupler configured to couple the first plurality of conductor bundles to an induction heating cable and to couple the second plurality of conductors to an induction heating accessory. 
     
     
       5. The cable assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the second plurality of conductors are configured to conduct the data between the induction heating accessory and an induction heating power supply. 
     
     
       6. The cable assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of conductor bundles have a total cross-sectional area of at least 8.37 square millimeters, exclusive of electrical insulation. 
     
     
       7. The cable assembly as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a coupler configured to couple the first plurality of conductor bundles to an induction heating power supply and to couple the second plurality of conductors to the induction heating power supply. 
     
     
       8. The cable assembly as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the coupler is configured to couple the first plurality of conductor bundles to power connectors of the induction heating power supply. 
     
     
       9. The cable assembly as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the coupler is configured to couple the second plurality of conductors to a communication connector of the induction heating power supply. 
     
     
       10. An induction heating system, comprising:
 an induction heating power supply; 
 a monitoring device remote from the induction heating power supply; and 
 a cable assembly, comprising:
 a first plurality of conductor bundles configured to conduct induction heating current, each of the conductor bundles comprising a Litz cable arrangement; 
 an inner protective layer, comprising a wrap, around the first plurality of conductor bundles; 
 an outer protective layer configured to protect the first plurality of conductor bundles from physical damage; and 
 a second plurality of conductors that are electrically isolated from the first plurality of conductor bundles and are protected by the outer protective layer and the inner protective layer from physical damage, wherein the second plurality of conductors are configured to conduct data. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the second plurality of conductors comprises a twisted pair of wires. 
     
     
       12. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the second plurality of conductors comprises coaxial conductors. 
     
     
       13. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising a coupler configured to couple the first plurality of conductor bundles to an induction heating cable and to couple the second plurality of conductors to the monitoring device. 
     
     
       14. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the second plurality of conductors is configured to conduct the data between the monitoring device and the induction heating power supply. 
     
     
       15. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the first plurality of conductor bundles has a total cross-sectional area of at least 8.37 square millimeters, exclusive of electrical insulation. 
     
     
       16. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising a coupler configured to couple the first plurality of conductor bundles to the induction heating power supply and to couple the second plurality of conductors to the induction heating power supply. 
     
     
       17. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the coupler is configured to couple the first plurality of conductor bundles to power connectors of the induction heating power supply. 
     
     
       18. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the coupler is configured to couple the second plurality of conductors to a communication connector of the induction heating power supply. 
     
     
       19. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a power supply coupler configured to couple the first plurality of conductor bundles to the induction heating power supply and to couple the second plurality of conductors to the induction heating power supply, wherein the induction heating power supply is configured to receive data from the monitoring device and control the induction heating current based on the data; and 
 a heating cable coupler configured to couple the first plurality of conductor bundles to an induction heating cable and to couple the second plurality of conductors to the monitoring device. 
 
     
     
       20. The induction heating system as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising a power supply coupler configured to couple the first plurality of conductor bundles to the induction heating power supply and to couple the second plurality of conductors to the induction heating power supply, wherein the induction heating power supply is configured to receive data from the monitoring device and control the induction heating current based on the data, and the monitoring device is directly coupled to the second plurality of conductors and is configured to pass through the induction heating current to an induction heating cable.